With spring in full bloom, now is the perfect time to spring clean your body and check in with your wellness routine and give it a little upgrade. We’re not talking about getting in shape for bathing suit season, but rather, about taking care of yourself inside and out.
While juice cleanses may have their time and place, this spring aim to detox your life—your mind, body and spirit. Start your season off on a fresh note with these tips for a complete wellness reboot.
1- Load Up on Fresh, Seasonal Produce
During the dreary winter months, people tend to fill up on hearty, warming foods such as root vegetables, casseroles, soups and stews, which can be heavy on the body. Fortunately, springtime brings an abundance of fresh, seasonal produce, much lighter than the wintertime stock, and it’s available right at your fingertips.
Fill your grocery cart—or your farmer’s market bag—with these purifying spring foods:
- Asparagus, packed with antioxidants and anti-inflammatory benefits
- Lemons, great for immune support, digestion and removing toxins from the liver
- Leafy greens such as spinach, kale, and arugula help boost the immune system and cleanse the blood; they’re also jam-packed with vitamins and nutrients.
- Garlic acts as a natural anti-inflammatory, anti-viral and anti-bacterial, and promotes cardiovascular health
Seek out farmer’s markets whenever possible to snag the freshest possible seasonal produce and support your local economy.
2. Get Re-Hydrated
Just as important as a healthy diet is proper hydration! While we all know that we should be drinking more water, most of us don’t get enough. Not only does water hydrate the body, but it also helps cleanse the skin, improve digestion, increase energy, and promote mental clarity, to name just a few health benefits!
Try starting your morning with a cup of warm water with the juice of 1/2 a lemon, which helps kick-start digestion, energize the mind and cleanse the body all at once. Be sure to keep a reusable water bottle on hand, replenishing regularly throughout the day. (Add fresh mint, lemon juice or berries for an added flavor boost.)
3. Unleash Negative Energy
It’s no surprise that a healthy mind makes for a healthy body. Take the start of the new season as an opportunity to let go of anything that doesn’t serve you well, including toxic relationships, activities that are energy drainers, and overall negativity.
Find an outlet that allows you to release excess emotional baggage and stress, be it through yoga, journaling before bed or just 3 minutes of meditation. In fact, practicing meditation has been known to improve mood, increase mental focus and release anxiety. How’s that for a healthy hobby?
4. Dedicate Time for Self-Care
It’s easy to get caught up in your day-to-day obligations and neglect your core needs, especially when you’re super busy. However, your relationship with your body is by far the most important one out there, so it’s time to treat your body with the love and attention it deserves. One of the best ways to do that is to carve out time for self-care, which is vital for your overall well-being.
Ask yourself: Are you getting enough sleep? How could you pamper yourself more often, whether by getting massages or taking hot baths? What kinds of exercise makes you feel your absolute best? Be sure you’re squeezing in at least a little bit of quality “me time” each day, even if you just linger over coffee and the newspaper for an extra 5 minutes. Take a moment to think about little ways you can incorporate self-care into your daily routine.
5. Clean Out Your Space
Is your home in need for some good ol’ spring cleaning? Clean out your space –both literally and figuratively—to make room for the new. Donate clothes that don’t fit to charity, clean out your cupboards, and organize your desk. (Yes, now’s your chance to get rid of artificial “diet” foods or packaged snacks with endless shelf lives.)
Conclusion
Spring is also the perfect time to give your to-do list a makeover, get clear about your goals and prioritize what’s most important for you right now. Circle the top three things that light you up, and make those a priority this season.
